So Paul wrote in and asked if I had any comment on this week’s delayed arrival of Scarlet #6 from Marvel’s Icon imprint. And I said, “oh, was it late?” and I checked our cycle sheets at the store, and BEHOLD:

Wow, nearly two years between the last two issues. Not quite Ultimate Hulk Vs. Wolverine level, but pretty close. I probably just didn’t notice it because, unlike that Hulk/Wolverine thing, I didn’t have people asking me every day when it was coming out. Or any day, for that matter. Is anything really late if nobody’s waiting for it? …Ooh, okay, that’s a bit harsh. I’m sorry. But not too sorry, because I have to sell these things, and a two-year gap between issues is kind of bullshit, and certainly no way to keep a readership.

And of course there’s the other end of the spectrum, in which we got three issues of The Avengers over the last three weeks, which is also ridiculous. Or two issues of Superior Spider-Man over the last two weeks. Or seven issues of All-New X-Men since mid-November. I’d like to see comics released on a rational, responsible schedule, one where retailers and customers can plan out their spending, and one where the market isn’t flooded so quickly with consecutive issues of a series to the point of discouraging readership, but I suspect I’ll see “Steve Ditko Sings The Hits – Live On-Stage Revue” before that ever happens.

Mmm. Okay, now I’m angry. WHY MUST YOU POKE THE BULL, PAUL?

Let us go on to happier things:

I am getting comments and multiple emails from folks telling me that the current Nancy comic strips are retelling the origin of Sluggo. Read ‘em yourself, starting here. …To think I’d ever see the word “reboot” in a Nancy strip, that wasn’t about, say, Sluggo putting on two pairs of boots.

This is interesting…John MacLeod, one of the contributors to this issue of Ultra Klutz I discussed a while back, popped up in the comments to that post with a couple of details about his contribution to the comic. And it turns out you can read his Dishman comics online (along with his commentary)…and be sure to take a look at his more recent project, Space Kid.

7 Responses to “I figured Sluggo just sprang fully formed from the forehead of Zeus.”

THE TWELVES was in continuity, but none of the characters have shown up anywhere else yet (probably because the book was in limbo for so long). But I actually didn’t mind the series and would be interested in actually seeing some of those guys again, one day.

What I think is interesting about the unrelenting nature of Hickman’s Avengers and New Avengers is that it seemed from the beginning of the NOW! promotion that Remender’s Uncanny Avengers would be the flagship Avengers series. It had a strong promotional push, spun out of the recent event and started first. However due to delays (which just about everyone saw coming), it’s not the book someone thinks of when they think of “Avengers.”

Uncanny Avengers has put out three issues in four months. Hickman’s two Avengers books have put out eight issues in nine weeks and shows no sign of slowing down. Of course, Uncanny Avengers is also scheduled to catch up on it’s backlog thanks to having different artists for different arcs. There should be three straight issues in three straight weeks, the last of those issues (Uncanny Avengers 6) is being promoted in this week’s Marvel Comics’ in-house ads.

That catch-up period still won’t compete with Hickman’s twin books. By the end of March there should be six issues of Uncanny Avengers (six months) and twelve issues of Avengers/New Avengers (four months). This is why I’m not buying Hickman’s books. But I do plan to read the Uncanny Avengers story beginning with #6 which deals with Archangel’s unborn child and Apocalypse’s history with Kang and the Celestials. That sounds great.

Thanx for the interview links,Mike! I can’t get enough of those behind-the-scenes stories about older material I love. Sorry to see Wheeler’s run get slammed yet again. On re-read,I always enjoy it. Sure,it went on too long,but so did the Rot.
I’m hoping you do a review of the Rot story now that it’s finally (kind of) ended. Swampy #17 was a huge disappointment for me. The difference in art style between Animal Man #17 and Swampy #17 was jarring,to say the least. Arcane was laughable, and the Abby clones went from truly horrific to childish. Really makes me wonder what the editors get paid for.